University of Drinking
Everyone has a favorite place to get a drink in Providence. But is there any consensus within the colleges? A college-by-college guide to drinking.
Brown University
Wickenden Pub
320 Wickenden Street, Providence.
The wave of gentrification that has left no stone unpolished from the diner to the quickie mart has led me to despise the new, so-called bars that serve hipsterized “pub fare” and artisan drinks. I prefer my bars manly, with a little grime on the floor and some hair on the bartender’s chest, which is why on College Hill my drinking heart belongs to Wickenden Pub alone. The no-frills bar on Wickenden Street is low key but knows how do things right: a quality jukebox, quality beer in three sizes (20oz, 28oz, and Trouble), and a mean (but manly) mixed drink when you need one (think Snake Bites, Velvet Golds, and Black and Tans). There is the Sam Adams challenge, consisting of a card and an inordinate number of Sam Adams brews to be downed and crossed off with the gusto only ambitious alcoholics can muster; the select few who complete this task win adoration, fame, and perhaps a t-shirt. Seating is minimal, so bring only your closest and dig your heels into the cavernous, plain-wood booths. Thursday nights are crammed to the rafters, it being Lottery Night and all-each patron gets a ticket at the door for the end-of-night, drunken giveaways (do not, as I did, win a coveted neon beer sign and be too sauced to remember before heading home). Come here enough and the doorman will remember you, no more IDs required. This is a bar to respect. – Emily Dietsch
Johnson & Wales
Remi’s
203 Westminster Street, Providence.
College students are creatures of habit. So it’s almost as if they want to go drinking in a small crowded space. After all, it reminds them of their dorm rooms. Of course, that bar needs to be close to campus. Who wants to walk far, after all? No wonder so many Johnson & Wales kids pack themselves into Remi’s, a five-minute walk from the downtown JWU campus. It’s your typical college bar: small, crowded, loud, plenty of freshman, meatheads galore, girls trying way too hard... you know the drill. Around campus, Remi’s is known as the place you can walk into alone and leave with someone. And since most of the girls are walking around in stilettos and short skirts in the dead of winter, that’s not much of a surprise. They’re not slutty though... they just need a boy to warm up to. Or after a few drinks at Remi’s, maybe even a girl. – Dave Quinn
Providence College
Golden Crust Pizza
228 Oakland Avenue, Providence.
Ask a PC student where their favorite weekend hangout spot is, and they’re likely to give you a laundry list of dive bars surrounding their campus. But the constant hangout for PC students? Golden Crust. Golden Crust is very much your typical takeout pizza shop, its distinctive feature (if any) being the garish yellow-orange benches that adorn the small interior. Though usually a fairly busy establishment, Golden Crust explodes on the weekends. It’s not uncommon to see a line of drunken miscreants sticking out the door at 2 a.m. on a Friday night, slowly sobering up after last call (it’s usually open until at least 3 a.m.). The food is nothing particularly special; a large pizza generally costs $8-10 (depending on the hour) and a small pizza around $6. A popular topping is blue cheese, the unofficial trademark of Golden Crust’s offerings. Affordable prices, affable service, and food that is (generally) agreeable to the stomach — no small wonder, then, that Golden Crust is so popular with PCers of all stripes. – Dan Darbandi
Rhode Island College
Mug Shots
944 Manton Avenue, Providence.
Maybe those fancy-pants college kids up the road have cool bars to go to, but not RIC kids. They’ve got Mug Shots — a dive bar who’s claim to fame is a 2004 visit from Joey Fatone after a “Get Out the Vote” event on campus. Mug Shots calls itself “The Greatest Bar in Providence,” and rumor has it RIC under-agers agree. Dorm kids and some of their commuter friends make the four-minute trek to this
drinking haven every “Thirsty Thursday” night (because they all drive home to mama’s house every Friday after class) dressed up just to get messed up. Tipsy Tuesdays (also known as 50 cent draft night) are also popular among the committed drinkers. The CVS lot across the street is the main parking destination. Space inside is usually crowded and there’s a single pool table, but good luck getting at it ‘cause it’s never free. Big point of advice: avoid driving by the bar at closing time, unless you want to hit a trashed underage girl who has wandered into the middle of the road. – Katherine Ricci
Rhode Island School of Design
The Wild Colonial
250 South Water Street, Providence.
Going out in Providence can some times feel like dating a girl who is high maintenance. Sure the girl may be really hot, but if she charges you to park, and then charges you to get in, you have to wonder if it’s all worth it. The Wild Colonial, a lot like the RISD students who frequent it, is a breath of fresh air in the otherwise “too cool for school” atmosphere you run into in Downcity. A night at The Wild Colonial is like going to a party in your buddy’s basement. There’s a pool table, two dart boards, and Amstel Light on tap. What more do you need? It’s like The Wild Colonial understands what students want most. Hate to pay for parking? They offer free parking in their parking lot. Struggle to find your particular Heineken on that community drink table when you come back from your cigarette break? The Wild Colonial lets you take that drink outside with you for your nicotine fix. No wonder so many RISD students call this bar home. It’s better than every obnoxious sweaty club in Providence. – Bob Fratus
